


Decompress

by cynognathus



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: M/M, alexander is a cashier at an adult store, welcum 2 the body den
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-05
Updated: 2016-12-05
Packaged: 2018-09-06 15:51:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8759302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cynognathus/pseuds/cynognathus
Summary: after a long week of finals, John finds himself in front of the store front of "The Body Den"





	

**Author's Note:**

> a lot of stupid innuendo in your endo type of stuff  
> vague sexual stuff  
> it's an adult store so plan accordingly

John rubbed the bridge of his nose. It had been a long week. A long week of finals, of papers and presentations. He adjusted his scarf to fall over his nose, pressing his fists deeper into his pockets. He was seriously on edge, on this odd teetering point of exhaustion that was mingled in with anxiety and… another state he couldn’t quite identify. In any case, he wanted to go home but he also knew he wouldn’t be able to just lay down in his room and go to sleep. He needed to decompress.

Decompressing. Okay, the gym was closed and it was too cold to go out for a run. Alcohol did not seem like a good idea, if anything it would only serve to increase his anxiety at this point. Also then scratch off the half-finished joint in his drawer. But what else was in the drawer included some condoms, lube and one of John’s favorite-

Well, shit. Actually that lube had run out somewhere last week in between his humanities and chemistry finals. At least the timing really wasn’t that bad? He was going home for Christmas and it would have been more difficult for him to leave the family property on his own. He tended to bring his sisters along with him whenever he could when he was home, and Martha tended to at least have a keen eye on everything John purchased. 

Alright so there was that silver lining. The next was in the form of “The Body Den,” a store boasting novelties and adult DVDs. Usually John would have just stopped in at the CVS, but honestly he wasn’t above anything. Especially since he knew what he wanted (down to the brand), it would be an in and out procedure, no room for embarrassment or chatting with strangers while browsing. 

He glanced at his phone, 10:32, the opened the door with a jingle from the small bell attached to the top. His attention was immediately drawn to the cashier, who glanced up to meet his gaze. He wore glasses and had long hair pulled back into some form of a top knot. Man bun, John’s brain helpfully supplied. There was also another man in front of the register, who was gesturing at the counter. 

“Dude, I thought stores were supposed to accept returns, it says so on my receipt!” the man continued gesturing. The cashier ruffled the hair that was hanging loose around the nape of his neck. John scanned the store quickly to orient himself towards the section with the assortments of lube. 

The next voice was that of the cashier’s, “And I’m telling you, _dude_ , that there is a huge asterisk next to that as a disclaimer. Unopened, sealed, not tested, frankly _unused_ products, can be returned.”

John located the section, browsing the area and pleasantly surprised to find the section organized alphabetically.

“It isn’t used,” the man pressed. The cashier let out a huff of clear irritation.

KY please and thank you very much. John pulled it off the shelf.

“I swear to god himself-“ John looked up in time to watch the cashier visibly steel himself, “Even if you are trying to tell me somehow this dented box with the sticker cut means you didn’t use this dildo. I cannot accept this as a return. There is no way in my good conscious I would even dare to.”

John couldn’t help himself, he laughed under his breath, sparing a glance at the cashier. He looked vaguely familiar, but John felt that he was possibly deluding himself because wake up. New York City, not exactly the place you run into people twice.

“Look, it’s not used. I didn’t get full use out of it,” the customer was still trying to argue his case. The cashier’s face dropped and paled a few shades of color.

“What do you mean ‘full use’ and do I even want to know.”

“You know. Full use. The big O.”

The cashier blanched even further and John quickly looked down at the shelves, pretending to browse the selection. 

“Please don’t tell me you stuck this up your ass and are now expecting to make a full return of it.”

“I deserve to return it, it didn’t work.”

John looked over the shelves to watch the cashier run a hand over his face, once again visibly steeling himself. “Okay, so listen. My guy,” he leaned on the counter with an air of friendliness, pointedly avoiding the space the box was resting, “You just need to know how to use it right. Now I know a lot about the technology here. I want you to hear me out, I’m going to give you a crash course on how to use this… Have you had any experience with anal toys in the past?’

John was slightly surprised by the turn of events, and while he really wanted to go home and put his soon to be purchase to use, he also didn’t want to interrupt the actually educational conversation happening at the counter. So he browsed further, walking deeper into the store and flipping through a few magazines. About ten minutes later he heard the bell ring, and he wandered back up to the front. The cashier was biting on a pen, then scribbled something in a textbook before he looked up at John who had placed the lube on the counter.

The cashier smiled, “This all for you?” John replied in the affirmative. “I mean, you were back there awhile, nothing that I’m going to have to clean up later I hope.”

John’s eyes widened and he sputtered a bit. The cashier laughed, “I’m kidding. I hope. No but seriously I am, as long as you look so affronted about it.” He scanned the box, “In here for so long and you choose the most basic lube out there. Yikes, sorry. My customer service isn’t really that high up there, which is probably why they stick me on the night shift most of the time.” He gave John the total, and John pulled out his wallet.

“It’s fine, it’s not like I’m offended by my particularly ‘basic’ tastes when it works just as well,” he swiped his card, “and you seemed to do just fine with that return earlier.”

The cashier pressed his palms together and to his lips, “My patience is tested every minute of every day. Especially when a cute guy buys shitty lube, I mean, love yourself. Or your significant other.”

John raised an eyebrow, carefully skimming over the fact that he was just called cute by a stranger, “I do love myself, that’s why I bought this so I don’t go ramming it in dry like some maniac and then try and return it a day later.”

The cashier let out a choked laugh, “Great, cute and with a sense of humor.” He ripped the receipt off from the printer and pulled the pen he had been using earlier from behind his ear, handing it to John. John signed with a small flourish, pointedly looking at the top of the receipt: _Your Cashier today is ALEXANDER H._ He passed the receipt back to the cashier, apparently Alexander, sliding the pen back on the counter. John looked at the textbook Alexander had previously been scribbling in, “You a law student?”

Alexander glanced at the book as well, before filing the receipt in a pouch kept to the side of the cash register. “Not exactly… poli sci student right now, working on my undergrad. My school doesn’t offer pre-law, but I figure if I try and study up in the meantime I can work my way into law school afterwards.”

John nodded, pocketing his wallet, “Ah that’s really cool. Where do you go?”

Alexander smirked, “You’re awfully inquisitive.” John shrugged. “I go to Columbia, finishing up the first semester now.” 

“A freshman and already thinking about grad school, what the hell. I’m a junior, also at Columbia. I only just figured out my potential path, still deciding if I’m being totally honest.”

“Whaaaat,” Alexander drew out, a smile genuinely gracing his features, “No way, what are you studying now?”

“Biology, then probably on my way to med school afterwards. I started a poli sci major too,” John shrugged, taking his backpack off to put the lube into it. “Only did it because my dad wanted me to make some sort of political empire out of his family. Switched to an art major, only to piss him off. Finally did some soul searching and ended up in the bio department,” he slung his bag over one shoulder, “So far the happiest I’ve been in my three years here.”

“Seems like you’re gonna find yourself pretty happy tonight,” Alexander leaned against an elbow on the counter again, giving a toothy grin. “I hope you knock yourself out. And if you want some advice on some not shitty lube, come to me first. Or come whenever,” a slight flush appeared on his face, “Okay those innuendoes got a little out of hand.”

“Not the only thing that will be out of hand tonight.”

“Once again, cute and with that sense of humor. Have a good night,” Alexander offered a slight wave as John walked back towards the door.

“Thanks, Alexander,” John spoke as he pulled open the door, the jingle covering up the cashier’s confused protests.

And if John said that name more than once that night, it was only to the four walls of his bedroom.


End file.
